January TUSAL Happy Dance

   

It's TUSAL time!

Here is my TUSAL tin with my current project:

This is a design from the 2008 Christmas Ornament issue of Gift of Stitching.  Designed by Maria Teresa Vitali of MTV Designs and entitled Treasure Christmas Pincushion.  I am stitching it on the 32 count mid green linen I use for a lot of my Christmas designs and using the DMC conversion so far.  I plan to use a variegated DMC for the Christmas Trees.  Then finish it as an ornament.

The Happy Dance is for a project I was hoping to complete in 2020 but the last two weeks of December put paid to that.  Instead I decided not to rush it and take my time in January.

I present Snowfire Christmas by Just Nan:

stitched on 32 count Burgundy linen

(DMC for colour comparison because it's hard to capture)

As you would expect from a Just Nan, there are a lot of speciality stitches and just as many beads!

My goal was 2-3 bands per week and that was ambitous!

There's DMC and cotton Perle in this

The last two bands are the two that defeated my goal of a 2020 finish

More beads and crystals too

I love this design so much.  I didn't realise how blingy it was until I started it.  I was stitching along with Leonore and she sent me the beautiful crystals because we only had the charts and not the embellishment packs.  A couple of people from the JN FB group wanted to join in and now we have several doing our current SAL of Winter Blues.  Unfortunately, Leonore didn't have that chart so I need to make sure our next choice comes from her and her stash!

Definitely getting this professionally framed when she reopens.

Here's where I am on the new SAL, Winter Blues:

stitched on 28 count White Jobelan

I've gone for 28 count as there is a bit of over-one stitching for the words and birds.  We have a somewhat easier schedule for this one!  Only 1-2 bands per week.  Having bitten off more than I could chew in November/December I decided to take it easy on this one.  We aim to finish by the end of March.

Finally, I will be running the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentine's Day.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

It's really very simple, all you have to do is email me a picture of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend on Valentine's Day.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart.  Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.  It can be something you've stitched in the past or something you've made especially for this year.  It could also be quilted or sewn this year as I know some of my followers do other crafts too.

Send me the email by 10th February.

When I have all the emails I will randomise them and send one to each participant on 13th February. Then on 14th February you must post the picture you receive onto your blog under the heading

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

There will be a list on my blog of everyone joining in, so check out all the blogs and find out who got your picture and identify yourself in their comments as their

Secret Stitching Sweetheart

Does that make sense to everyone? I hope so!

If you'd like to be involved then leave a comment on this post or send me an email if you are "no-reply". I'll be putting little reminders up from time to time and will email on 9th February to make sure you send the pic in time.